Today's the day to...

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Hitting the reset button in life can sure be stressful! New job, new state, change in relationships, etc. and as it's been stated, "doctors make the worst patients."

But it's not all craziness...

The new job is great!!! In addition to my current coaching and sport psych consulting work, I have the opportunity to work for Trek Bicycles in Naples, Florida! Helping people find their freedom on the two-wheeled, self-powered machine that fits their cycling needs is quite rewarding!

Saturday morning group ride from the bike store (I'm a horrible photog)

Over the last couple of weeks I've been internally reflecting on "what the hell is wrong" and have come up with a pretty short and simple list.

I love a schedule! I love routine. When I'm not a routine, then I just feel out of balance. My former routine of swim/bike/run has been replaced with going to the local pub just about every night after work. Totally not healthy, I can't afford it, clothes don't fit, and I miss training.

I finally am at a point where I really do miss the constancy known as the grind.

Sooooo......

Now that I'm completely out of shape and my liver is crying uncle, I'm ready to get back in the saddle, pound the pavement, start adding up those yards in the pool.

Monday, September 8, 2014

Here is a note that I wrote in my phone a few months ago. I needed to put feelings out on "paper".

A glimpse into "me".

As I sit here, I wonder, "how did I ever let it get this far? Get this bad? Why didn't I address this earlier? Why wasn't I able to do anything?"

If you were to ask me if I ever saw myself here, the obvious answer would have been, no. But here I am. It's a struggle. Feelings are involved and need to be considered, but for the first time in a long time the only feelings I will need to consider are my own. It will be nice to rediscover who Ryan is and where his life is taking him.

My life seems like a book filled with various short stories from other authors.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

1. Develop a pre-performance routine. This should help you relax and do the same thing each time.

2.Yoga. The stretching will help physically, but the deep breaths will also aid in releasing stress.

3.Regular sport massage. This will help release some of the build up within your muscles, but is also a nice way to reward yourself for a hard weeks training. ART is great, but sometimes just a little petting is very relaxing.

4.Imagery. Imagine yourself performing the training or race. Identify what stressors there may be and formulate a positive plan before the event.

5.Set process goals and congratulate yourself when you accomplish them.

6.Establish a connection with the trainer, masseuse, & chiropractor. Ask for feedback on your body and solicit improvements. This will help with your confidence.

7.Manage your time. As an athlete, it’s important to balance your training with life’s other commitments.

8. Surround yourself with positive people and encourage your peers.

9.Set up a day/time that is “your time” and do something fun or nothing at all. It’s your time!

10.Don’t be afraid to seek out help. You have a coach for your physical performance, don’t neglect the mental aspect.

11.Get plenty of rest. Sleep helps you feel better.

12.Practice breaking the event up in smaller manageable sections.

13.Progressive muscle relaxation.

14.Identify the stressors and establish coping skills

15.If required, discuss stages of grief.

16.Stay hydrated and monitor electrolyte intake.

;

These are just a few tips to reduce anxiety....Do you have some that should be added to the list?

Friday, February 21, 2014

This winter has been really killer--as in freezing, snowy, and (in my opinion) just plain 'ol stupid. That's the only way I can classify this weather, "stupid"! I guess if I lived some place I could ski or something, it might be different, but this has brought much (all) of my swim, bike, run training indoors. This indoor training is great, but after months of it, can be quite taxing on the mind. This is especially true as most of "us" are either still in or just coming out of our base phase of training. This repetition has been termed the grind, or as I prefer to call it, the mundanity of excellence. After reading an article regarding Olympic swimming routines, I felt it might be good to remind others and myself, that these seemingly mundane, boring, same bull shit everyday type activities or training actually may lead to excellence. And probably more importantly, at least anecdotally, Olympic athletes struggle/cope with similar obstacles that average-joe does! The author suggests that
excellence is achieved through consistency and states, “excellence does not
result from some special inner quality of the athlete” (Chambliss, 1989, p.
72).Chambliss (1989) discusses the misconception
that some individuals are born with a special ability, talent, or athletic
gift, but suggests that other factors may influence excellence.Every day, individuals achieve some form of
excellence in something, but athletes share their excellence to the masses on
stages periodically, and therefore the audience only sees glimpses of their
excellence.Talent is also purposed in
the opposite direction, stating that if an athlete’s excellence is due to talent,
then why is only noticed after they have
achieved success?

The mundane aspects of achieving excellence are the
little things that are repeated over and over, until they become habitual. The author discusses the breakdown of the
flipturn and various stroke mechanics as the mundane. These mundane activities may be labeled as
very short term/immediate process goals to achieve a much larger goal. Interestingly, these mundane activities can
also be applied to any circumstance in which an opportunity to improve presents
itself—whether it is shaking hands more firmly, speaking more confidently when
asked a question, or any other task.

There are
other factors that are suggested to have an influence on the attainment of
excellence besides the mundane. The
author lists these as genetic make-up, geographical location (is the athlete in
the best climate for their sport), is the family able to meet the financial
investment required, and the coaching ability/level of the coach. There is also a time commitment that is
involved, and when younger, the athlete will need to rely on the transportation
of others. Similar to Jonny Law’s story
of overcoming adversity and injury (Law, Coleman, & Orlick, 2008) a “crucial factor
is not natural ability at all, but the willingness to overcome natural or
unnatural disabilities of the sort that most of us face…” (Chambliss, 1989, p.
80).

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Anti-friction products are a must during the colder months! With all the layers on, rubbing occurs and the stick product may be too hard to apply easily. Give TRISLIDE a go! It's small, aerosol can applies a slick coating to prevent chafing...just know that it works really well and don't apply on smooth floor surface. They will become slippery!

The same company, SBR Sports, Inc. makes a line of swimming products to get ya clean and free of itchy, stinky chlorine! Shampoos, conditioners, lotions and more!! The smaller bottles fit nicely in your swimming bag.

The new line even comes with a thermal layer & a built in liner (underwear)!! The sizes seem true to size, expect for the 3/4 length. I would order a size up. The women seem to have the cool colors on this one!!

3. Hand Warmers $10-$25.
Heading out the door for a cold run sure is easier if your digits and piggies are toasty! These also make pretty awesome stalking stuffers!!

Sometimes when it gets cold out, we forget about our nutritional needs! You still need to keep fueling the body, even when it's cold!! For ease of use, I would recommend keeping your nutritional products in a warm pouch, or close to your body. There's nothing like trying to eat a frozen PowerBar!

There are tons of watches out there. I'd look at what the needs are: GPS? Heart rate? Waterproof? Multisport use, or just running? And then there is price!! These things can be pretty pricey & now they are offering more than just the boring black to add a piece of flair. I do really like the Garmin line of products!

Keeping those tootsies warm is sooooo important! If you need to add another wicking layer cuz your feet sweat like crazy, try a thin dress sock as your base layer. The outdoor light micro are great to run in, and I'd consider getting a sock that at least covers your ankles.

8. Coffee Shop Gift Card $10+

Seems like coffee shops are a magnet to endurance athletes...well, I guess maybe people in general! Even if your someone doesn't dig coffee, the aroma is nice and most have great teas to choose from! And if they don't like tea either, you may consider getting new friends. :)

9. Magazine Subscription $25+

Athletes are geeks! We like to read about what others are doing, what the trend is, the newest greatest gadget, and of course, where the next Rev3 race will be! Runners World, Triathlete, Lava, Sports Illustrated, Bicycling, Outside, Coach & Athletic Director, Men's Health, and Cosmo...yes cosmo!

Rudy Project tends to have really great deals this time of year! There products are also reasonably priced, tested, and quite trendy! They also have smaller lids for the peanut and monster helmets for those who have a giant gourd like me. (Mom says it's cuz I have a big brain!)

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

Over the past few months, I've been reflecting on my time in the Marine Corps and the friends--scratch that, the bothers I served with along the way.

I really miss the brotherhood we shared. Our common bond was more than just standing on the same yellow foot prints, our bond is that we endured great times & other times that were complete shit.

But we endured together.

We helped one another through divorce, being away when a child was born, death--we were always there for anything!

We would cover for each other if needed, handle problems internally, do anything possible not to "throw someone under the buss."

Have an issue with someone, grow a pair and tell them. Maybe try and work it out-perhaps there is a misunderstanding? Maybe you need to just box it out???

Brothers fight, but when it's finished, it's over-move on.

This is so unlike the "real" world, where others are chomping at the bit to sell someone out. Whether in business, personal, or any other circles, it seems that others have lost their moral character and ability to lead from the front. Selling out, lying, deceiving, just to make a buck, do what is popular, and send their "friends" up a river without a paddle.